Man doing yard work shot twice in Centerville

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Police in Centerville say a man shot his neighbor Sunday as the victim was doing yard work.

The 41-year-old victim, identified by neighbors as Tony Pierce, was hit once in the leg and once in the back, police said. A helicopter flew him to University Hospital, where police said he was undergoing surgery to repair life-threatening injuries in his chest cavity. As of Monday morning, he was recovering after having his spleen and the bullet removed, according to the Centerville Police Department.

Police arrested a 53-year-old Mike Selleneit and planned to book him into the Davis County jail on suspicion of attempted homicide. His wife was also taken into custody.

The shooting happened about 5 p.m. at a trailer park at 555 N. 400 West.

Pierce and Selleneit have lived next door to each other for several years, police said in a news release. The release went on to say the suspect had previously made accusations against the victim that police could not substantiate. The release did not elaborate.

The victim's 8-year-old daughter was in the trailer during the shooting but was not harmed, police said.

Centerville officer Rolynn Snow said police found a .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun in Selleneit's trailer apparently used in the shooting.

In 1991, Selleneit pleaded guilty but mentally ill to a felony count of attempted sexual abuse of a child. Snow said Selleneit was cooperating and accurately answering questions for detectives. The 1991 conviction prohibits Selleneit from possessing a gun.

"We're not in a position to determine his mental capacity, but it is fair to say people around him would say he has a diminished mental capacity," Snow said.

Cathy Greaves lives in the same trailer park but did not hear the shooting. She called Pierce "a real nice guy" who did not cause trouble.

"It surprises me. I've never seen Mike get angry, upset or anything else in all the years I've known him," she said.

The neighborhood itself is quiet, Greaves said.

"Nothing ever happens in here," she said. "Well, it did, but you know ... I guess it can happen anywhere."